PS4 getting PhysX and APEX support

PlayStation 4 will support NVIDIA's advanced physics technologies PhysX and APEX, the graphics firm announced today.

NVIDIA says that by offering the support of its two technologies to the console, PS4 game designers will be able to "create intricate physics-enabled environments", "expand the quantity and visual quality of destructible objects" and "make smoke and other particle-based fluids integral to game play".

"With PhysX and APEX support for PlayStation 4, customers can look forward to better games."

PhysX support had been available to developers on current-gen consoles but its performance was restricted by the systems' relatively low specs. PlayStation 4's specification, however, should enable developers to use a more advanced form of the technology, such as that found in some PC versions of current multiplatform games.

GPU-accelerated PhysX support in the PC versions of Borderlands 2 and Batman: Arkham City, for example, granted the use of advanced particle, fluid and cloth physics, unavailable in the console versions.

Take a look at the video below for an example of the kind of effects PhysX technology can provide.